What are you listening 2 now?

[Brahmsian]

This is true, but I never have thought of myself as a collector. I'd probably look like one on the surface or if someone saw my collection, but I find collectors to occupy a much different mental space than I do.

You don't think of yourself as a collector?!? 

[Mirror Image]

You don't think of yourself as a collector?!? 

I know it sounds far fetched, but my main reasoning as to why I feel this way is because in my mind a collector is someone who buys things that are going to bring them some kind of financial gain or they display something in their house like it's some kind of trophy. I never looked at music this way --- it's something that I'm incredibly passionate about and love, but I never thought "Oh, I'm going to sell this on eBay" or "I'm definitely going to get some serious bids on this item". I hope it doesn't come to a point where I have to sale my CDs, because I feel that even though they are material things, they make up a part of my own soul. I have no idea if I'm making any kind of sense here, but I won't say anything further as I've already typed too much.

[Karl Henning]

"Need" has nothing to do with serious collecting. The operative word is "want" 

Sarge

Wisdom.

[Karl Henning]

Shostakovich
Symphony № 4 in c minor, Op. 43
Royal Liverpool Phil
Petrenko

[vers la flamme]

Johann Friedrich Fasch: Symphonies in G major and A major. Jean-François Paillard, Orchestre de Chambre Jean-François Paillard

I love this recording, a pre-HIP recording of baroque music. It reminds me of the kind of baroque music you hear in Wes Anderson's films.

[Mirror Image]

Shostakovich
Symphony № 4 in c minor, Op. 43
Royal Liverpool Phil
Petrenko

Sweet! One of the most incredible symphonies ever written.

[Mirror Image]

First dip into this new acquired set:

Bartók
Sonata No. 2 For Violin And Piano, Sz. 76, BB. 85
Gidon Kremer, Yuri Smirnov

[Sergeant Rock]

Gorgeous from first note to last.

I haven't heard it in quite awhile (years) but I remember being mightily impressed. I'll have to take it off the shelf soon.

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

One further dip:

Bartók
Sonata For Two Pianos And Percussion, Sz 110, BB 115
Dezső Ránki, Zoltán Kocsis, Ferenc Petz, József Marton

[vers la flamme]

Good idea, André...



Richard Wetz: Symphony No.1 in C minor, op.40. Roland Bader, Cracow Philharmonic Orchestra

First listen. So far, so good.

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Dvořák
The Noon Witch, Op. 108
The Wood Dove, Op. 110
The Hero's Song, Op. 111
Scottish National Orchestra
Järvi



While I have a preference for Neumann or Mackerras in these symphonic poems (sans The Hero's Song, which neither conductor recorded to my knowledge), I find Järvi to be rock solid and quite exciting. Has he awoken the forest gods with these performances? No, but I enjoy them for their straight-forwardness and robustness.

[JBS]

Starting this set over with Symphonies 1 and 3

[Mirror Image]

NP:

Tubin
Symphony No. 1 in C minor
Swedish RSO
Järvi

[vers la flamme]

NP:

Tubin
Symphony No. 1 in C minor
Swedish RSO
Järvi

I'm listening to the same disc, not the Symphony but the Music for Strings. A first listen. So far so good. Reminds me of Lutoslawski's Musique funèbre for strings. I hear a lot of similarities between Tubin and the early Lutoslawski.

[Mirror Image]

I'm listening to the same disc, not the Symphony but the Music for Strings. A first listen. So far so good. Reminds me of Lutoslawski's Musique funèbre for strings. I hear a lot of similarities between Tubin and the early Lutoslawski.

Yeah and a lot of this boils down to their folk-influenced sound-worlds. There's a bit of this in Bacewicz's music as well. I'll have to listen to the Music for Strings next.

[Mirror Image]

I was going to follow-up Tubin's 1st with his Music for Strings, but then I read about the passing of this composer in May:

Mägi
Vesper
Estonian National SO
Arvo Volmer



Such a gorgeous work. My only hope is more of Mägi's music gets recorded.

[vers la flamme]

I was going to follow-up Tubin's 1st with his Music for Strings, but then I read about the passing of this composer in May:

Mägi
Vesper
Estonian National SO
Arvo Volmer



Such a gorgeous work. My only hope is more of Mägi's music gets recorded.

Oh no, I was just listening to her music for the first time yesterday (the piece was Cantus & Processus, for guitar and cello). Rest in peace. At least she made it to the ripe age of 99. I'll have to see if I can find that disc you posted.

[Mirror Image]

Oh no, I was just listening to her music for the first time yesterday (the piece was Cantus & Processus, for guitar and cello). Rest in peace. At least she made it to the ripe age of 99. I'll have to see if I can find that disc you posted.

Yeah, I think it's a good disc --- there's much to admire about the music.

[vers la flamme]

Ester Mägi: Cantus & Processus. Camerata Tallin

[André]

It's actually one of the best recordings I've ever heard of the Requiem.

Okay, a few more words, then  0:)

Fantastic playing from the orchestra and excellent singing from the chorus. I find the conductor micro-manages every movement and misses the emotional elements in the score. The Kyrie for example is severely constipated, with dynamics kept at a lower level than usual and a refusal to let the soloists express their fervent plea for clemency. The Sequence is very well done, even if I prefer the Tuba mirum slower, more crushing. I don't care at all for Gardiner's mega pause at the end of the Lacrimosa. For a few seconds (it must have lasted at least 6) I thought he was using a different edition. But no, he was being 'expressive'. The soloists are ill-matched. It was a bad idea to choose a light mezzo (von Otter). The result is like a combination of soprano I and soprano II, lacking tonal contrast. The tenor is painful to listen to. The bass is very good. Orgonasova has to-die-for floated high notes (a jaw-dropping high B flat on 'requiem') but she is emotionally passive. Overall this is an excellent but unfeeling Verdi Requiem.

I find Gardiner is an excellent conductor with a severe deficit in expressivity. This leads him to give performances that go fast but don't flow, that have tons of details coming through ultra lucid textures but deficient in breadth and genuine feeling. In a previous life he was probably a monk doing manuscript illuminations (an admirable pursuit).